Method of shipping sheet metal



Jan. 22, 1935.- E. s. RICKETTS ET AL 1,983,513

METHOD OF SHIPPING SHEET METAL Filed Oct. 27, 1931 INVENTOR-S,ErHsLwvBJF/c/re'rra, BY 44/. VA hi Moo/v.

wd/Y'M ATTORNE Y5- Patented. Jan. 22,1935

-; UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE msrnon or misf s; sneer I Ethelyn B.Bicketts and Alva'ffl. Moon,Middletown, Ohio, assignors to The AmericanBoiling Mill Company, Middleton, Ohio, a corporation of om 1 Applicationcement, 1931, Serial No. 571,468

column.

This invention relates to the preparation and handling of sheet metal.particularly strip, sheet, or bar steel, or other articles ofmerchandise, for the purpose ofwsh'ipping the same in railroad cars,motor, trucks, ships, carriers, and the like; an object of the inventionbeing to provide a new and more eflicient method of loading and transporting .metal,. steel sheets, or merchandise in unit loads, free'tomove as units, but, such movement counteracted in part by retardingmeans.

In customary practice sheets have been arranged for loading in packs orstacks, suitably bound and placed on the freight car floor andtransported to destination. Each pack, or stack of sheets, weighingfrequently as much as five to ten tons, has been supported eitherdirectly or through the medium of wood members, platforms, or skids onthe car floor with the individual sheets piled flatwise and held in thestacks by means of binding elements, such as steel bands or wire.Moreover, according to conventional practices, the stacks have eitherbeen 'braced or anchored to the car floor against movement, or

I freely supported to permit. the stack or packto shift as a whole, as aresult of shocks or jolts to which the caris subjected in transit.

. The prevailing practice in'shipping sheet metal is to use flexiblesteel bands, or wire, and where these are used to bind the unit pack.The free movement or sliding on the car door of the pack, to take up theshocks, has been considered advantageous in order to minimize therelative sliding of the sheets (which are usually oiled) or to preventthe'breaking of the binders and the scattering of the sheetsover the carfioor. This modern system reduces the amount of dunnage by eliminating asubstantial amount oi wood bracing formerly used. J

The unit packs of sheet metal may be made upon the shipping room floorof the rolling mill and to prevent the bundle from shifting sidewise intransit. i L.

heretofore, by this unit method of shipping, we have, in some caseswhere severe shocks ocour in transit, found that the sheet metal units,

weighing as much as ten tons, had shifted or moved from their originalposition in the car, in front of the doorway, where it was practicallyimpossibleto take them from the car as a unit by truck or liftingdevice.

An object of this invention is, while allowing or permitting the unitpack of sheet metal to move as a unit on the car floor, to resist orretard excessive movement under extreme heavy shocks,

so as to keep the pack of sheet metalin as near 10 its original locationin the car as possible.

In shipping sheet, steel, the number of bundles or packs to be placed ina car'varies with the length and width of the sheets, weight of thebundle, and capacity of car. In some cases, it is 15 desired to placefouror flve fiac ksin a box or gondola car, that is, one in each cornerand one in the center. In other cases, where the sheets are extremelywide and long, and the bundles heavy, it is only feasible to place twosuch packs, go

one in each end of the car. In other cases, where a short sheets areinvolved, it is sometimes customary ,iirst to make up three or moreseparate units, place them in the car and then-bindthe separate unitsinto one composite unit, having 3 one unit in each endo'f the car. Incases of this kind anygreat amount of shifting or moving of either unit;towards the center of the car generally consumes the entire-space beforethe door .tion. 9

The unit method of shipping sheet steel has 35 been found to besatisfactory, economical and practical, except for this one diiliculty,viz., of too much shifting or moving of the unit. out of its originalposition and, inmost cases, towards center of. car while in transit{also the bundles sometimes bump into the ends of the car, causing damageto both sheets and car. In some cases the bundles bump into each othercausing sheet damage.

In the past, various means have'been resorted 4 to to control themovement of thispack, such as guiding means (which are generally 1" x 3"wood strips nailed to theiioor of car. running longitudinally of carparallel with'and against the pack or skids) and bumpers (lumber nailedto ly nailed to the door, on excem ive' shocks when the bumpers arestrong enough to resist. the bindas ers break and the bundle falls topieces in transit scattering the sheets throughput the car. In othercases, an excessive bump of the pack against the bumper breaks it loosefrom the car floor and the pack moves beyond its allotted space, and insome cases, in front of the doorway of the car.

Various means have heretofore been devised for retarding movement ofpacks, such as caulks of various kinds; spikes projecting through skids;sharp ridges on bottom of skids or channels, acting as skids; wedges setunder ends of pack to permit pack to slide upward instead oflongitudinally; guide rails set'and nailed to floor of car in suchmanner to pinch or squeeze the skids when longitudinal movement occurs.

Also sheets have been set on edge to obtain the benefit of theadditional friction obtained on edges. This method is effective onlyunder light impacts and can be unloaded only by special means. All meansused which set up a gouging or dragging effect are undesirable becauseof their destructive nature to the car floors. g

. Wedges, as commonly used, are effective only on light impacts becauseas the pack slides up the incline of the wedges at one end, they slidedown the incline at the other end, with the result that the horizontalretarding effect of the wedges is almost nothing.

stood from the following specification taken with the accompanyingdrawing, in which, for purposes of illustration, but one embodiment isillustrated.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 represents a medium for frictional resistance, to be placed onthe car floor under the entire .unit pack and binders.

Fig. 2 shows supporting members for a unit bundle of sheets, togetherwith four of the resisting means, shown in Fig. I placed on the carfloor.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a completed unit of sheet steel.

Fig. 4 shows a side view of the completed unit of sheet metal shown inFig. 3.

Fig. 5 represents an end view of the unit shown in Fig. 3.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, it is to beunderstood that the invention is not limited in its application to thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, since the invention is capable of otherembodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

Itis to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employedherein is for the purpose of description, and not of limitation, as itis not intended to limit the invention beyond the requirements of theprior art.

It is also to be understood that this invention may be applied to anyform of modern unit sliding pack of strip, sheet, or bar metal, orarticle of merchandise, or any commodity, when shipped in unit packs,that is, when transported in form other than what is commonly known asAmerican Railway Association rigid blocking or solid bracing a load-unitmade up of a plurality of flat sheets, such as sheets of steel, or thelike, whereby a unit is obtained of suflicient size and weight to retainitself against substantial displacement in the car under ordinary shocksin transit by at a plurality of interspaced points. The binders may runboth crosswiseand lengthwise of the pack, or, in the case of dry sheets,we have found that crosswise bands are suflicient. When wire is used, itis generally the practice to use two strands, as shown in the drawings,but in a case where a narrow steel band is used, one will answer thepurpose.

It is advisable in some cases to use wide strips of; reinforcing metal 4beneath the bands or wire so that the edges of the sheets will beprotected.

In making up one of these unit packs, we first provide a sumcient numberof skids or members 5,-as shown in Fig. 2, although in some cases,skids, or means interposed between stack ,of metal and car floor, arenot used. We then attach the reinforcing metal 4 to skids, placing wiresor bands 3 under the reinforcing metal 4. We then lay the wires orbands, which we propose to use as bind- The nature of the invention willbe under-' ing, sidewise members, on top of the skids and then place thestack of metal, two or three sheets at a time, or lift the entire packin position on top of the skeleton composed of skids, binders,

- and reinforcing members. After this, we tie the binders, at the sametime pulling them under tension, by means of tools now upon the marketwhich are found to be commercially satisfactory and practical. The skidsare generally fastened to the unit pack, although in our illustration itis proposed to make them a part of the pack.

We then place upon the floor of the freght car or carrier a tenacious,elastic or gummy substance, such as pure asphalt, or asphalticcompounds, such as asphalt mixed with toluol, benzine, turpentine,painters naphtha, torch oil, gasolene,'a carbonaceous or bituminouscompound, or, in fact, any substance to produce the desired degree ofresistivity when used .as a retarding or counteracting medium. Thistenacious material may be of any size, but we have found in actualpractice overthe railroads from mills to customers that four cakes ofpure asphalt coated or uncoat ed may be placed under a unit pack, asshown by the numeral 6 in Fig. 2, these cakes being as small as 3." x5"-x A" thick, but more or less asphalt may be used if desired. In warmclimates, it is found unnecessary to mix anything with the asphalt, butin cooler climates the asphalt may be softened by the addition oftoluol, or any of the above mentioned asphaltic mixtures, in anyquantities.

We have found that in rolling mill practice, a grease in cake form isused on the neck of rolling mills known throughout the industry as hotor cold neck grease.

As this hard grease is of a consistency equal to asphalt,'we desire toinclude it specifically as a retarding means. It may be used in cakesabout 3!!x5!!x1/2!!. I

Asphalt, grease, or other tenacious and adhesive materials when coatedwith soapstone mixed with glycerine, or soapstone alone, talcum powder,or

the like, are free of a condition of adhesiveness on their surfaceswhich permits the use of these 1,998,518 I 1 .materials withoutsmearing, or sticking to surfaces in contact threwith. At the same time,

soapstone or talcum powder does not sufficiently diminish the adhesivequalities to cause a slippery condition and the full degree of tenacityof the asphalt or grease is maintained.

Two. cakes, strips, or blocks of asphalt, particularly strips, whenplaced one above the other .on the'car floor with other material, .suchas glycerlne, soapstone, soft grease, oil, or the like,

interposed between the cakes, will produce a condition whereby frictionmay be increased or decreased. as desired. By coating the faces in contact with a lubricating Tagent', such as soft oil, friction may bereduced a point of smoothness or a slippery condition and by changingthis coating a, a soft elastic or adhesive agent, such as soft grease,glue, tar,pitch, or'the like, friction' may be increased to anydesired-point.

Cakes, slabs, or patches of rubber placed under a unit sliding pack ofsheet metal, is another satisfactory device to eliminateexces'sive sliding f the pack. we have also found that old rubber automobile tirecasings, parts of casings, and inner tubes of automobile tires, placedunder a flve i or ten-ton" pack of sheet metal will be found suitablefor this purpose. 1

. e we have described asphalt, asphaltic compositions, hard cold grease,and rubber, as being'variousmeans for retarding and restricting themovement of a modern unit sliding pack of sheet metal, it is to beunderstood that-the invention herein contained is not to be limited tothese specific means, as other means, or other. compositions of mattermay be usedwithout departing from the spirit of this invention. Theparticular material employed will be such as will frictionally engagethe pack and the floor or other support, and it will be tenacious inthesense that it will offer internal resistance -to deformation, and willcohere even though deformed. It may be elastically deformable, asrubber, or it may have the ability to undergo more or less permanentinternal deformation, as asphalt. In other words, it may have a degreeof plasticity, and this qual-.

' ity is valuable in some circumstances.

It .is also within the scope of our invention to fasten a massoftenacious substance either to the pack, to the skids, or to the flooror shipping surface.

We have tried our invention inactual practice, over the railroads, longdistance hauls from the mills to customers, andin no case have we foundit unsatisfactory.

While the method and apparatus herein shown v and described is admirablyadapted to fulfill the der horizontal stress,

objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that the invention isnot to be limited to the specific form shown, but that it is susceptibleof embodiment in various forms,-with-or without guidingand/or otherretarding means, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desiretosecure by Letters Patcut, is: 1

1. A method (if preparing articles for shipment which comprises bindingsaid articles into a heavy unit load, adapted to shift upon a support:ing surface under impact encountered in ship-.- ment, and supportingsaid load on a shipping frictional substance, deformable untenacious,

interposed between said load and said surface, said beingrelativelysmall with respect to,the load supported thereon, contacting both theload and,the shipping surface, and acting to minimize the degree ofshifting under a given stress.

2. A methodof preparing sheet metal for shipment. which comprisesstacking the sheets one upon the other until a heavy load is built up,which load, when unbraced, is adapted to shift under impact stress on ashippingsurface, placing the load on members 'to permit movement upon ashipping surface, whereby the unit area of contact of said load and asupporting surface is small in proportion to the weight, binding thestack of sheets and members together asa unit, and interposing betweeneach of said members and said surface a localized mass of tenacious,frictional substance, deformable under horizontal stress, small in arearelatively to said load, contacting both "said members and said surface,and having the property of restricting the extent of shifting ofsaidload under a given stress.

3. A method of preparing sheet metal for shipment which comprisesstacking the sheets one upon the other until a heavy load is built up,

-which load, when unbraced, is adapted to shift under impactstress on.ashipping surfa'ce, placing the load on members to permit movement upon ashipping surface, binding the stack of sheets and members together as aunit, and interposing between each of said members and said surface alocalized mass containing rubber, said mass contacting both said surfaceand said memupon the other until a heavy load is built up,

which load, when unbraced, is adapted to shift under impact stress on ashipping surface, placing the load on members to permit movement upon ashipping surface, binding the stack of sheets and members together asa'unit, and interposing between said members and said surface alocalized mass containing bitumen, said mass contacting both saidsurface and said member, said massbeing small in area relatively to saidload, being deformable under horizontal stress, and having the propertyof restricting the extent of shifting of said load under a given strms.

5. A shipping unit comprising, in combination, a series of articlesbound together intoa unitload of such weight as will cause shifting ofsaid load, when unbraced, uponthe floor ofa vehicle for transportation,and sliding means upon which said load rests, whereby the unit area ofcontact of said load with a supporting surface is small in relation tothe weight, means for securing said sliding means to said load, and aplurality of masses of tenacious, frictional substance, deformable underhorizontal stress, located beneath said sliding means, contacting bothsaid surface and said means, and having the property of permitting someshifting while greatly restricting the extent thereof,"'said massesbeing small in area relatively to said load.

6. A method of limiting the movement ofunit loads of material on impactupon a supporting surface, which comprises forming a load unit ofmaterial, said load unit being of relatively small volume in proportionto its weight, and normally adapted when unbraced to shift its positionwith respect to a supporting'surfaceupon impact un- T der shippingconditions,placing said load upon the floor of a movable vehicle ina'position to shift thereon understress, and interposingbetween said unitload and said floor a localized mass of tenacious, deformable,frictional substance of a character to permit a controlled derespect toa supporting surface upon impact un-' der shipping conditions, placingsaid load upon the floor of a movable vehicle in a position to shiftthereon under stress, and interposing between said unit load and saidfloor a localized mass of tenacious, frictional substance which isstifily plastic and which'will deform under horizontal stress and permitsome shifting while greatly limiting the extent thereof, said massbeing-small in area relatively to said load, and

contacting both said load and said floor.

8. In combination, an unbraced unit load of material of a mass highin-proportion to the bulk of the load and 'suflicient to shift itsposition upon the floor of a'transportation vehicle under impactsnormally to be expected in shipment, said unit load being adapted forsuch shifting without disruption or disintegration, and a localized massof material, small in area relatively to said load located between saidunit load and the floor of a vehicle, and directly contacting both,which mass of material is deformable and, in connection with itsdeformation under horizontal stress, is adapted to vary the extent ofsuch shifting under a given stress.

9. In combination, a mass of material of great weight in proportion toits bulk bound together so' as to be movable as a unit under impacts tobe expected in shipment, without disintegration, at least one slidingmember located beneath said mass and movable therewith, and a localizedmass of deformable substance between said sliding member and the floorof a vehicle upon which said load rests, and directly contacting both,said deformable substance in connection with its deformation underhorizontal stress having the property of permitting shifting underimpact but of greatly restricting the extent thereof, and being notsubstantially larger in area than the corresponding area measurement of,said load.

E'I'HELYN B. RICKETTS. ALVA H. MOON.

